The Fool Looks Ahead

There's never a dull week on Wall Street. Let's go over some of the news that will shape the week to come.

Monday The new trading week kicks off slowly. All of the major exchanges will close at 1 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Tuesday Don't look for any trading today. The market is closed on Christmas -- but can the same be said about your local McDonald's ?

The world's largest restaurant company turned heads when a memo surfaced, asking franchisees to open on Christmas Day. It argues that company-owned units that opened last Christmas raked in an an average of $5,500 in extra sales, and now it wants more franchisees to follow suit.

Somewhere out there, a lonely ketchup- and mustard-colored clown takes a bite out of his McRib.

Christmas is also traditionally a time for families to head out to the local multiplex. New movies making their debuts on Christmas Day include Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained and the silver screen adaptation of the popular musical Les Miserables.

Les Miz will be screening on traditional and IMAX screens. This one is an odd choice for IMAX, and exhibitors may be reluctant to switch over if The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is still grossing well. That film is offered in 3-D, resulting in even higher ticket prices.

Wednesday The day after Christmas has historically been a day that retailers dread. Customer service lines grow long with returns, and no one has money to spend on new things after maxing out their credit cards.

Well, as gift card sales continue to grow in popularity, it's also safe to say that there will be more than just returns taking place.

ThursdayThe year is coming to a close, so it may be a good time to start wondering whether Sirius XM Radio will introduce the personalized streaming radio feature that it was set to roll out during the second half of this year.

Another service racing the clock might be the Redbox Instant video streaming service that was originally supposed to be available by year's end. Coinstar's Redbox and Verizon are teaming up to offer the digital service that will also include a few monthly DVD rentals.

Friday The final trading day of the week will be quiet on the earnings front, so maybe now would be a good time to see if the return lines at your retailer have gotten any shorter.

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